My Writing Process Blog Tour

Krista Van Dolzer (who is giving away an advanced reader copy of my book RED BUTTERFLY until June 19 here) tagged me in the "My Writing Process" blog tour. Thanks, Krista!


What am I working on?

I’m working on a time travel middle grade novel, tentatively titled MR. MADIGAN’S JUNKYARD. It’s on its second “good” draft. I’m reading it through one more time before I send it off for a second round of critique by a couple of my sweet writerly friends.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I love Magic Treehouse, but my book is not Magic Treehouse. In fact, maybe I shouldn’t even label my book a time travel. (Krista, should I call it a time travel book? … She’s the only one who’s read it so far.) Time travel is a device in the story, but it’s not the main point. The main point is how my main character learns to face her own (actually really difficult) life.  

Why do I write what I do?

Middle grade is my favorite genre!  It took me awhile to realize that, but it’s true. So, after attempting to write young adult for quite a few years, I finally began to get middle grade ideas. And after the middle grade ideas started amassing in my brain and my first attempt at a middle-grade novel sold, I was officially hooked.

How does your writing process work?

I get an idea (usually a character and a premise) and I wing it. That first draft is not a “good” draft. I would never let anyone see it! After that, there are usually a couple complete rewrites before I have the first “good” draft. Then it’s a matter of honing and shaping and finding the real story. It takes awhile, but I’ve tried other methods (like meticulous planning before I start writing) and they don’t work for me. Even though my first drafts stink, I love the thrill of writing them. I get to know my characters as I go. The only problem with this method is that writing endings is terribly difficult. I’m usually three “bad” drafts in before I can make myself write an ending.  

I'm tagging my two gracious friends who agreed to read my Work in Progress next -- Melissa Sarno and Julie DeGuia!

This has been a fun little exercise. Thanks for reading!

Photo credit: msmediadesign from morguefile.com

RED BUTTERFLY Cover Reveal!

I'm having a party!

*throws sparkles*

It's a cover reveal party for my debut middle grade verse novel, RED BUTTERFLY!

Here's a short synopsis so you'll know what the book's about:

Kara never met her birth mother. Abandoned as an infant, she was taken in by an elderly American woman living in China. Now eleven, Kara spends most of her time in their apartment, wondering why she and Mama cannot leave the city of Tianjin and go live with Daddy in Montana. Mama tells Kara to be content with what she has … but what if Kara secretly wants more? 

Told in lyrical, moving verse, Kara’s story is one of a girl learning to trust her own voice, discovering that love and family are limitless, and finding the wings she needs to reach new heights. 

And now that you're prepared ... are you curious? 

Is your interest piqued? 

Do you want to see the cover? 

Do you want to meet Kara? 

Here she is!

This piece of amazingness was designed by Laurent Linn (Twitter: @LaurentLinn) at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. The art was done by the incomparable Amy June Bates. Her illustrations for the interior are absolutely gorgeous. Every time I look at her work I think that, if I could draw well, I would want to draw exactly like Amy June Bates. She captured Kara perfectly. I can't wait for you to see the book, to see what a piece of art the team at S&S BFYR made it!

If you're curious about the cover design process, please head over to my friend Krista Van Dolzer's blog (@KristaVanDolzer). She interviewed RED BUTTERFLY's designer, Laurent Linn, and it's an extremely interesting interview (if I don't say so myself). Plus, she's giving away an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of RED BUTTERFLY.

I have other friends helping me celebrate, too! Thank you, Janet Sumner Johnson (@MsVerbose), Melissa Sarno (@MelissaSarno), Myrna Foster (@MyrnaFoster), Vijaya Bodach, Julie Deguia (@JulieDeGuia) and Faith Elizabeth Hough for your enthusiasm and for showing off the cover with me! (I've heard rumors that Janet Johnson might be giving away a pre-order? You may want to scamper over there and check!)

It's a good day for thankfulness! I'm thankful to Kate Testerman (@DaphneUn), my amazing agent, for snatching RED BUTTERFLY out of the fire (I was on the verge of shelving her (the book, not the agent) forever ... but that's another story) and to Christian Trimmer (@MisterTrimmer), my editor, for loving Kara and overseeing this whole process so she could shine. 

Last, but not least, thank you to you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for stopping by to admire my little book's cover! I hope you get to read it and tell me what you think.

One more time, because I love her...

Follow this link to add Red Butterfly to your Goodreads list

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or follow me on Twitter: @alsonnichsen

WISH YOU WERE ITALIAN is out!

 

It's my adorable friend Kristin Rae's launch week for her amazing sweet teen romance WISH YOU WERE ITALIAN!

In the novel, main character Pippa comes up with a list of ten goals for her summer in Italy:

1. Don't get arrested
2. Don't make a fool out of myself in public
3. Get my picture taken at the Colosseum
4. Find random souvenir for Morgan
5. Get a makeover
6. See Pompeii
7. Swim in the Mediterranean Sea
8. Have a conversation with someone in only Italian
9. Eat a whole pizza in one sitting
10. Fall in love with an Italian

To celebrate launch week, Kristin wanted a few of us to come up with our own top ten list of what we would want to accomplish if we went to Italy.

It's funny, but one of my life goals is to GO to Italy. My maiden name is Pardini and I'm an eighth Italian (I inherited my dad's Italian nose), and I've heard there's still a Pardini flour mill in Lucca.

I also just finished a history unit on the Roman Empire with my home-schooled second grader, which means I now know more than I ever did before about the Pax Romana and ancient Rome. (It was an excellent curriculum, so that's not as pathetic as it sounds.) So, bring on my Italian vacation! I'm ready!

Now that you have a bit of background, here's my own list. (A bit different from Pippa's because I've already found the love of my life AND I'm of legal drinking age.)

1. Find the Pardini flour mill
2. Drink wine in Tuscany
3. Spend an entire day (or two) at a Tuscan hot spring
4. Take a cooking class
5. Walk around the city of Pompeii
6. Attend an opera in Verona at an ancient amphitheater
7. Cirque Terre! (Pippa goes there and I'm in love already!)
8. Of course gilato; lots of gilato
9. Wander through Rome
10. Art museum overload in Florence, please

Anything I missed?

And if you are like me and can't afford the time or money for a real-life Italian vacation at the moment, run out and buy Kristin's book and take a vacation in your head!

Also, there's a wonderful interview with Kristin here. You can read about all the juicy behind-the-scene book details!

Look What I Got!

My RED BUTTERFLY galleys arrived! These are uncorrected proofs that I'll be using for blog tours and giveaways.

It's so crazy to hold RED BUTTERFLY as a real book. And, perhaps the scariest thing is, my dashingly handsome sidekick is reading it. He hasn't read any of my writing before, so I'm terrified.

I'll be blogging more about the work involved in this stage of the process, and I hope to be able to reveal the beautiful cover by Amy June Bates soon. RED BUTTERFLY will be available for preorder early next month.

Can someone please pinch me? It's hard to believe this is actually happening! 

Happy Easter!

Easter is my very, very, very favorite holiday.

I love that it happens in spring (my favorite season!). I love eating Easter candy. But most importantly, I love the reason we celebrate: because Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose from the grave. New life! For all! That's definitely a reason to be joyful.

What's your favorite holiday? 

Have a wonderful Easter!

 

Photo credit: dmscs from morguefile.com

Hong Kong Trip: Day 5

On our last full day in Hong Kong, I didn't do any book research. (Gasp!) Well, not anything that I made notes about anyway. But since there's a lot of hiking in one of my books, it was good to refresh my memory about the sights and sounds of Hong Kong trails.

My dad took Gabe and me on a hike starting at Monkey Mountain (appropriately named, you'll see why soon) that ended at the Upper Shing Mun Reservoir. The rain had cleared and we had blue skies. Best of all, my friend Robyn and her son, Owen, were able to join us. 

That fuzzy mountain in the distance is Hong Kong Island. The ICC building on Kowloon Peninsula is the tall building visible.

I love Hong Kong because you can be hiking along, feeling like you're in the middle of nowhere, come to a certain point on a trail, and see THIS. These are apartment buildings, both public and private. This is how most of Hong Kong's population of 7 million people lives in a space of 426 sq. miles--literally on top of each other. And there's still room for beautiful green hills and hiking trails!

A bunker built by the British in WWII. A sign nearby warned us that it was a "desolate trench." The boys were appropriately cautious.

This is why Monkey Mountain is so aptly named. Macaques are everywhere! And they want to eat your food, so don't show them if you have any.

So fun to see my good friend, Robyn! She treated us to one last dim sum breakfast. Yum, yum!

These next pictures were taken on our last evening with my parents. We went out for one more Chinese meal. So delicious and such good company.

Honestly, I don't think this trip could have gone any better. I feel blessed upon blessed!

Hong Kong Trip: Day 4

On the fourth day of Hong Kong my parents gave to me....

a trip to the Museum of History!

I can't post too many of the photos because they're so dark (I wasn't allowed to use a flash), but here are a few from our wonderful at the Hong Kong Museum of History. 

Visiting the museum helped me narrow down the time period and setting for my Cantonese Opera book. There was also a permanent exhibit here about a specific kind of Cantonese opera called Chinese Opera for the Gods, a ritual performed in villages around Hong Kong to commemorate a god's birthday and bless a village. It's a tradition still practiced today, though not as common as it used to be.

Funnily enough, the fishing village we visited on Lantau on day three, Tai O, hosts an annual opera performance of this type. We'd seen signs advertising it when we were on the island.

Gabe in a traditional fishing boat.

A hawker's stall of children's toys outside the opera house

The temporary opera structure for Chinese Opera for the Gods

A scene from 1913 Hong Kong water front (I think that's the right year - need to check my notes!)

A recreation of a building on Hong Kong island in the late 1800's/early 1900's

A popular way to travel around Hong Kong Island -- an old-fashioned tram

My parents sharing a laugh on the MTR train on the way home. How I love them!

If you ever visit Hong Kong and are curious about Hong Kong history, you'll have to visit this museum. The exhibits were amazing. The street scene from early Hong Kong was especially stunning. You can walk into tea shops and pawn shops, see the bulletins posted on the brick walls ... an incredible, hands-on experience.

That evening I was able to see one of my best friends from middle school and early high school at King George V School, Hersha. We hadn't seen each other in twenty years! She and her lovely husband treated us to a delicious meal.

Friends reunited

Gabe was a little worn out after his busy day! He has been a trooper through this trip, following Mom around on all her research trips. This is only the second time he's fallen asleep at a restaurant late at night.

Overall, another wonderful day in my amazing hometown. Gabe and I miss everyone back home, but we're not ready to leave yet! We want our American family to fly here instead of us flying back over there. I wish!

Hong Kong Trip: Day 3

What a fabulous time we're having!

I met my friend Jacqueline (@Lantaumama) through Twitter and our writerly friend Susan Blumberg-Kason. She lives on South Lantau and when she found out I was coming to Hong Kong, she offered to drive us around the island. I'd asked her questions before on Twitter about how South Lantau feels in a typhoon, so she knew one of my books was set there. We didn't experience a typhoon on our trip (thankfully), but we did get a black rain storm warning, which is actually more appropriate for the book. Serendipity!  Jacqueline braved a very wet day to take us around and was an amazing, knowledgeable tour guide. I learned so much about the area and culture and it was wonderful to meet her in person.

Here we are on the bridge in the Lantau fishing village, Tai O.

An original shop-house still in use (shop downstairs, house upstairs), Tai O

Houses on stilts in Tai O, with waterfall behind

Village houses, South Lantau Island

Tumble-down residence, licensed property, in a South Lantau village

Water buffalo field

We took the ferry back from Lantau to Central. You can see the IFC Building with its top in the clouds.

Standing below the IFC building

A huge thank you to Jacqueline. We had a magical third day on South Lantau!

Hong Kong Trip: Day 2

I'm behind a day! I know! But that's because we spend all day out and about Hong Kong. When I get back to my sister's flat, I'm too exhausted to blog! After driving a minivan in the U.S. for five years, I'm not used to walking so much.

We are having a fabulous time and it's so much fun to gather information and experiences for my books. On our second day, we went on a walk/hike into the hills behind my sister's flat in the pouring rain. One of things I love most about Hong Kong is the nature and all the paths through the hills. It's warm and humid here, so the rain isn't uncomfortable. But when it rains, it pours! I'm really enjoying the rain, though, because one of the books I'm in the process of writing, set in Hong Kong, has a lot of rain in it. In fact, the rain is so important, it's practically a character. So, as ironic as it seems, the weather couldn't have worked out better!

An abandoned house in a village behind my sister's flat.

The road turned into a river as we walked.

A stream running past a village house.

I spent a lot of time on Day 2 at the Heritage Museum in Shatin. They have a permanent Cantonese opera exhibit there. Like I mentioned in my last post, I'm hoping to write a historical novel about a child adopted by an opera troupe. I took a billion pictures at the museum, but here are a few:

Replica of the Foshan theatre, built in 1658.

Traditional opera dressing table

What a dressing room would have looked like

Costumes

I mentioned that it rained, right?

Hong Kong Trip: Day 1

I'm in Hong Kong at the moment, visiting my parents and my sister and conducting research for several novels-in-the-works. 

Here are a few pictures from my adventures today: 

The view out my bedroom window. Those are traditional Chinese graves, a detail in one of my books.

Bougainvillaea overflowing. I love how Hong Kong is such a mix of city and gorgeous nature.

Closed up snack shop. I want to remember what this gate looks like, because one of my minor characters owns a shop like this.

One of the main reasons I'm here: researching Cantonese opera!

I forgot what real rain felt like, smells like, tastes like, sounds like. Incredible!

Food is an important part of my novels, because Hong Kong food is amazing. Here's Gabe chowing down on dim sum.

Wall flowers

Bananas growing in my parents' village.

These are papayas, right?

Amazed by the beauty and color of rural Hong Kong.

One of my books takes place in a village. It's good to remember what the village houses look like.

When people think of Hong Kong, they usually think of only a huge city. Do any of these photos surprise you?

Tomorrow I'm planning to visit a history museum to learn more about Chinese opera. So excited!